Austin officials vote to boycott Arizona

The Austin City Council has voted to cut business and travel ties with Arizona to protest the state’s new law targeting illegal immigrants.

A unanimous council vote adopted the resolution proposed by council member Mike Martinez. The Austin American-Statesman reports the resolution calls for an end to all city business travel to Arizona. Exceptions are travel for police investigations, providing humanitarian aid or to protect Austin residents health and safety.

But council member Bill Spelman, a co-sponsor of the resolution, says this will not mean “a dramatic shift in the city’s policies.”

City Controller Diana Thomas says Austin has no contracts with nor investments in the state of Arizona. Also, 48 city employees took 20 business trips to Arizona over the past year at a cost of $47,908.